Research conducted by the University of Alberta has shown the nutritional requirements of gestating sows increases in the later stages of pregnancy.

As part of research being conducted on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc researchers with the University of Alberta have been examining the value of phase feeding gestating sows.

Dr. Soneke Moehn, a swine nutritionist with the University of Alberta, says scientists found the amino acid requirements are greater in late pregnancy than early pregnancy and that the nutritional requirements decrease as the sow ages.

What they do suggest is that we need to give the sows more nutrients in late pregnancy than in early pregnancy.

They also suggest that feeding a single diet and single allowance for gestation you’re feeding too much in early pregnancy so you can take lower formulated feed, less of that in early pregnancy and that makes space in late pregnancy so that, overall, you actually may save a little bit of feed amount and certainly feed costs as compared to the constant feeding allowance.

Who should use that?

Actually I think it should be used by breeding companies to provide nutrition suggestions for the breeding stock that they sell, it should be used by feed companies so that they can offer suggestions for feeding of sows that goes well with the feed that they produce.

It should be used by producers as well for my liking so that they can maximize or optimize the herd structure and use of the animals.

Dr. Moehn says in some cases producers may be reluctant to make the investments necessary to accommodate phase feeding but feed costs will be minimized by using a phase feeding program.